Transitioning from steering to carving is the bridge between intermediate and expert skiing. It marks the moment you stop pushing against the snow and start letting the ski’s geometry do the work for you. By engaging your edges earlier, you trade the friction of a skid for the “railroad track” precision of a true carve.
The carved turn is defined by the precise engagement of a ski’s sidecut radius with the snow surface, creating a path of travel where the tail follows the exact arc of the tip. Unlike the skidded turn, which relies on friction and displacement, carving is an exercise in mechanical efficiency.
Differences between Steering vs. Carving
| Feature | Skidded Turn (Steering) | Carved Turn (Carving) |
| Track Left | Tails wider than tips; skis slide laterally | Tails follow tips; two tracks like “rails” |
| Movement Type | Skis “sweep” the snow | Skis “cut” through the snow |
| Friction & Speed | High friction; skis slide to a stop | Minimal friction; sensation of acceleration |
| Mechanics | Lateral “push” effect | Pressure creates centripetal force |
| Efficiency | Requires more effort | High efficiency; uses edges well |
| Required Actions | Weight shift + Edge change + Turning action | Weight shift + Edge change |
| Precision | Less predictable; ends lower on the slope | Precise arc; speed controlled by gliding uphill |
| Control | Perception of control is often deceptive | Offers more control than many realize |
| Directional Effect | Skidded directional effect | Carved directional effect |
The Carved Turn
- The goal is to carve turns is to minimize skidding.
- For many, “carving” is limited to what it feels like when the edges press into the snow at the end of the turn. In reality, carving a turn is a fantastic sensation from the very start of the turn.
- The purpose is to leave two perfectly curved parallel tracks in the snow of equal depth and without any skidding.
- Weight is distributed almost evenly across both skis, maintaining a centered position throughout the entire arc of the turn, allowing the skier to be carried in the intended direction and eliminating the tendency to let the tails spin out (skid).
- The carved turn is an exercise in simplicity and moderation; an example of maximum result with minimal movement on the part of the skier.
- Since people tend to overcomplicate things, many skiers are surprised by how simple it is to create a turning motion with their skis. Skiers must therefore eliminate the automatic tendencies toward rotational muscle movements (skidding).
- Speed control is achieved by controlling the arc of the turns, rather than by skidding the tails.
- Weight transfer involves a gradual pedaling motion if the turns are wide, but a quick one if they are short. One leg is always extended while the other is flexed. The flexed leg is on the side of the turn and allows the body to “settle” into the turn, while the extended leg acts as a support.
- The skis must remain on both edges throughout the entire turn. Executing a “carved” turn means that the tails of the skis pass through the same spot as the tips.
- To ski on the edges, it is necessary to find the proper muscle tone along with the correct positioning of the skeletal structure. Advanced skiers achieve this after hundreds of turns in which they experiment with new sensations and postures until they gradually find the right and necessary ones.
- Movements should be smooth and progressive from the hips down, but movements from the hips up should be minimal and compensatory to achieve a smooth, stable, and controlled turn.
- Carving on a groomed, wide and gentle slope does not mean that a person is a good skier, since to be a good skier, one must learn a variety of maneuvers and turns on all types of terrain and in all types of snow, and, even more importantly, use the appropriate movements and actions for each situation.
How to Adapt to “Carving”
Many skiers believe that carving skis make the carved turn on their own but in reality, it is necessary to pay attention to the following points:
General Considerations:
- Less effort is required to create smooth, fluid turns.
- The inside ski plays an active role, enabling skiing on all four edges.
- The turn is wide, and the inside foot and leg are actively engaged.
- The change of direction is achieved by releasing pressure from the downhill ski at the end of the turn, applying pressure to the uphill ski, and orienting the hips toward the new direction.
- The turn is initiated with feet and ankles. A slight movement of the ankles is used to tilt the skis onto the edges, and the lateral cut will cause them to turn practically on their own.
- The turn is executed with minimal muscular effort, allowing the arc of the skis to draw the turn’s trajectory.
- In these carved (accelerated) turns, the tails follow the tips, leaving two single tracks. In contrast, in skidded (braked) turns, the tails turn more than the tips.
Oscillation:
- The challenge lies in letting the whole-body swing to initiate the turn.
- By bending (retracting) the downhill leg and extending the uphill leg, the body will naturally shift toward the inside of the new turn, creating a fore-diagonal oscillation that allows to take full advantage of the skis’ edges. The greater the edge angle, the smaller the turn radius.
- As speed builds the hips need to propel toward the inside of the turn (centripetal posture).
- The sensation felt when oscillating the body toward the inside of the turn is both skis “cutting” the snow.
- The more the skis are edged, the more the inside knee bends toward the chest. At this point, it is important to keep the inside foot aligned to maintain the proper angle between the shin and the foot, avoiding that the inner tip “walks away” from the outer tip.
Edging movements:
- Edging is the action of tilting the skis onto their edges. By tipping the skis and letting the sidecut do the work, the skis move along a curved path “on rails” with minimal skidding. Adjusting how much the skis are tilted and the pressure exerted on them determines the turn radius and the amount of grip on the snow.
- The ground reaction force is the force that snow exerts back on the skis in response to the pressure applied to it. It is the practical application of Newton’s Third Law (Action and Reaction) on the mountain: when we push the snow down and out in a turn, the snow generates a force of equal magnitude but in the opposite direction, allowing us to maintain our trajectory and balance.
- When tipping the skis, the ground reaction force is concentrated on the edges. If the snow is hard, the reaction is solid and predictable. If the snow is powder, the reaction is less and gives way, causing the skis to sink until encountering resistance. This is key since carving is all about managing that reaction.
- Carving turns is a way of skiing that allows to experience new and greater sensations, but round skidded turns are the fundamental basis that can be used in all situations and conditions.
